• This sauce looks and tastes exactly like tomato sauce and can be used any time you’d use a tomato base. Keep in mind

that you will need to keep tasting to adjust for tartness, herbs, etc., to your taste.
• I’ve researched, taught, written about and practiced for over twenty years total avoidance of all foods in the Nightshade family for anyone affected by inflammation, especially those with Fibromyalgia or Intestinal Inflammatory Disorders. This is the perfect solution to all of you, like me, who avoid nightshades yet are craving that tomato taste for your special dishes.

NOTE: I worked on perfecting this recipe for at least two years until I finally got the ingredients just right. The following instructions are for the sauce ONLY. For those of you, like me, that want a meat sauce, the directions will be at the end and then you simply add the sautéed meat to the sauce. As a seasoned cook, I NEVER eat my sauce the same day; I cook it at least 4 hours and if I make a large batch, I freeze it in containers enough for one or two servings.
INGREDIENTS:

Approx. 4 cups Butternut Squash puree (I use, when available, the fresh or frozen cut butternut that they have in stores around the fall/winter holidays as it saves having to cook and scoop out the squash from a fresh one). HINT: Next time you see the cubed raw butternut squash, buy several, double bag them to prevent freezer-burn, and freeze – they last for 12 months when properly wrapped.

1 medium zucchini squash (stemmed and diced)

3-4 cups BEET BROTH:
• Scrub and wash beets well and cut into thin slices or cubes unpeeled;
• Add 1 cup dry red wine (merlot or cabernet works well), or you can eliminate wine although all the alcohol cooks out. Remember to use organic, no-sulfites-added wine;
• Add 1 – ½ cups Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar;
• Add 4 TB each of dried: oregano & basil;
• Add 2 TB each of dried: rosemary, thyme, sage;
NOTE: If you use fresh herbs don’t adjust quantity until broth has cooked at least one hour…you’ll need less of fresh herbs than dried
• Salt and pepper to taste;
• 1-2 TB organic unrefined sugar OR LoHan Natural Sweetener (You must add a sweetener or the broth becomes too acidic tasting. I’ve tried Stevia and it DOES NOT work for this. You can use honey or Agave but you’ll have to adjust to your taste);
• Cook mixture until squash is really soft and then use hand-held blender to puree OR put entire broth into a blender until smooth.

1. Either bake the fresh butternut squash until you can scoop out approx. 4 cups of soft squash OR use the fresh/frozen cubed and peeled squash. If you buy cubed/peeled squash,
2. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, use medium/high heat to sauté the onions, zucchini and garlic in the coconut oil or the fat you’re using (make sure all ingredients are light brown and not too dark or the sauce will taste burnt)
3. After your sauté ingredients are gently brown and transparent, add the BEET BROTH puree.
4. Cook at med/high until full intensity then lower to simmer for 1-2 hrs. – best if made a day in advance.

TO ADD MEAT:
NOTE: I prefer ground bison to beef but you can use any ground meat such as turkey, chicken, pork, etc. I use a combination of half & half all natural ground pork and bison for a rich truly Italian flavor to my meat sauce for spaghetti…especially for lasagna.

1-2 lbs. ground meat or ground meat combination

Coconut oil

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat.
2. Add ground meat and continue to brown breaking up the meat so it crumbles in small chunks. Make sure the meat is well-cooked, especially if using some pork.
3. After meat mixture is well-done, add to the sauce and simmer 1-2 hours on low, stir occasionally to avoid sticking.
NOTE: To thin sauce add either more wine or apple cider vinegar but wait until after the entire sauce is cooked at least one hour to see final texture.
ENJOY a truly delicious Mock Tomato Sauce that DOES NOT INDUCE INFLAMMATION.